Willow Ridge Sermons

September 28th, 2025 • "Then Belshazzar gave the command, and Daniel was clothed with purple, a chain of gold was put around his neck, and a proclamation was made about him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom." – Daniel 5:29

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Creators and Guests

Host

Beau Bradberry

Senior Pastor

What is Willow Ridge Sermons?

Sermon audio from Sunday services at Willow Ridge Church.

Welcome to the Willow Ridge Sermons Podcast, where you can listen to audio from our most

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Good morning. If you have your Bibles, and I hope you do, I want to invite you to join us

in Daniel chapter 5. That's where we will be this morning. We'll cover the entirety of that chapter.

If you're one of our first-time guests, thank you so much for being here. At the end of the service,

we would love it if you would bless us with this one act. If you wouldn't mind coming back to this

connect table back here to my left, I'll be back there along with my wife. We would love to meet you,

to thank you for being here, for worshiping with us, to learn your name. And then if you have any

questions about us, about who we are as a church, who I am as a pastor, about the ministries of our

church, we would be more than happy to help answer those questions. And if you would like to get

connected in any way, to get you connected as well. Also, as we're turning there in our Bibles, if you

do not have a Bible, we have some free ones that are back there as well. We'd love for you, whether

you're a visitor, whether you're a member, whether you've been coming for several weeks, stop by and get

one of those. We want everybody to have a copy of God's Word, and so please stop by and do that. I got a lot of

papers kind of out here. I preach off out of my Bible and off of my iPad, but I feel like I'm back

in eighth grade and I get an open notes test. So I've got a couple things I want to go over really

quickly. Next week, during our studies that we have, we take a break in between, and we don't

take a break and not gather at 9 a.m. We still gather at 9 a.m. for discipleship. But what Pastor Dave's

been working with is men and women in our congregation have been coming forward and sharing their story in

Christ and different aspects of that. Some of them, it has involved their salvation story in

that alone. For others, it's been other aspects for that. And it's been a wonderful time. I've been

blessed over and over and over again by coming in and hearing stories, honestly, that most of them

I've already heard. But to hear them in this format and in this place is a huge blessing to us as a

church. And next week, we'll have Jackie Branham. We'll be coming forward to share. Jackie's just such a

wonderful woman of God, such a beautiful Bible teacher, that you will definitely be blessed to

be here. And most of you probably know who Jackie is. Most of you have heard part, some of her story.

But I would encourage you to be here, and you will be encouraged by the Lord through Jackie as she

faithfully shares. With that being said, on October 12th, we will start our new studies. And

discipleship's important. Like gathering and worship, that's important with what we're about to do

in God's Word, but be able to sit in a room, in a community, in a dynamic with other people of faith, to be

able to talk about the things of God, to be able to study God's Word. We highly value, we continue on with

our small groups, if you want to get connected in a small group. But for Sunday morning, we do that during

the nine o'clock hour as well. For our kids, for our youth upstairs, our young adults, our adults, we've got

all types of things that you can gather and that you can connect with. And on this page, there are those

that are available, the description of those different studies, who is teaching them, if there's

a book that you want to walk through. So just glancing through this really quickly, we've got some

parenting ones. We have a conversation that's continuing on in Daniel where we talk about, continue to talk

about the Old Testament, a way to share the gospel and to reach people in your community with where

you are. And so, and then there's some on the back. And so, please, we want you to absolutely connect and

be a part of one of those studies. And you do not have to be a member of our church to get connected

in one of those. And then almost last, next to last, the Harvest Hangout, we are going to be gathering

together at the end, I'm sorry, November 2nd, the first Sunday evening in October. We'll be gathered

in our parking lot with an opportunity to fellowship and have community with one another, but also as an

opportunity to bless the community in which God has placed this church and to hopefully have

opportunities to share the gospel with people. So really impressive on you. We've got these smaller

cards that are at the exits as you leave today. Grab some of these and please give them out. You can

grab one, you can grab two, you can grab a handful. I saw somebody last week just encouraged my heart

so much. As they were walking by, they showed them to me and then turned it right here and I saw that

they had a stack and they gave me a thumbs up. And so we want you to go and invite people. You can

invite your people that you know that have a church home and that's great, but we are really looking for

for those as well that do not have a church home, do not know the Lord, and we're looking for

opportunities. The event is completely free, all right? Candy, popcorn, hot dogs, snow cones, games,

hayride, and against my better judgment, and it was my idea, a Dunkin' booth, that I'm trying to

figure out how to get Dave in it and not me. But we will have a Dunkin' booth as well. So this event is

for all ages, okay? So from the youngest of the young to the most experienced of experienced,

all right? This event is for all ages and so we would love for you to come and to be a part and

to play the games and to walk around and to talk and fellowship would be absolutely wonderful. And then

I know the announcement said you can email Dave, but we are working really hard to try to make sure that

we have enough trunks for our games and candy and all those things. And so if you would like to be a part of

that ministry and do that for that Sunday night, please stop by. Dave will be at the connection

table also at the end of the service. You can ask him questions. You can say we're in. We would love

for you to partner with us in that in that way if you possibly could. The last thing before we get

into Daniel. Last thing, y'all know Pastor Sam came and he shared a few weeks ago. If you don't know

who Pastor Sam is, he's one of our missionaries that we work with and he works in India. And over the

last couple of weeks, just ask for me to share and we'll be praying for this. India is definitely a

persecuted country where you can be arrested, you can be martyred for your faith. And within the

last couple of weeks, a couple of churches in the city, which he ministers in during their Sunday

gatherings during their worship services, radicals invaded, assaulted the women,

beat on the men and the pastors. Some of them were taken away. And so it's very a heightened

place. It's a stressful place. And Sam will be returning on Tuesday. And so we're going to pray

for him and pray for us as we go into God's word. But please keep that prayer close to your

heart and continue to lift up. Not just Sam, but all of the churches there in India, all the churches

all over the world. And so a verse for them for encouragement, a verse for us for encouragement.

This morning as we get into Daniel 5, I want to go back to that. I feel like it's been the driving

verse so far for us through seven weeks as we've been walking through Daniel. And it's Daniel chapter

1 verse 8. But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king's food or with the king's

wine that he drank. Would you pray with me? God, we thank you for this time where we can gather together.

God, the truth of the song that we sang.

For your glory and our good.

God, sometimes standing in resolve, it's hard to see our good.

So, Lord, we cling to the promise of your word.

We cling to knowing that our faithfulness brings glory to you.

So, God, I pray for the faithfulness of the men and women

in India and all over this world who face persecution because of their faith.

God, I pray for every individual here

who fights against

the draw of the world to stand faithful and

where you have them placed as men and women of God.

God, that we will live boldly for your glory and know that you work and it is for our good.

God, as we study your word in Daniel this morning,

Lord, I pray that it would not be my words, but it would be your word.

Lord, I pray that it would draw us closer to you.

And Lord, if there's anyone here who does not know Christ as their Lord and Savior,

that today would be the day of their salvation.

We ask all these things in Jesus and we pray. Amen.

Well, there's been a theme so far in Daniel.

And the theme is, there's been many themes, but a theme I want to point out and point to this

morning is that God is faithful to both use you where he has you and while using you where he has you,

he's preparing you for what he has next for you.

God is faithful to use you right where he has you, and while he's using you for his glory,

God is preparing you for what he has next for you.

I don't know if you've ever walked through a season of trial, a season of difficulty,

a season of famine, a season of suffering, but when we walk through these times together,

when we walk through these times with the Lord, when we walk through this,

what we can be reminded of in stories like the story of Daniel is that there's this man who resolved

Daniel 1:8 in spite of the difficulty of what he could face, that he stood and he stood firm and

God used him. And we saw how God used him. And Daniel spoke and spoke as a man of faith,

spoke as a man of hope, spoke as a man of God. And God used him and he prepared him and he poured

into and influenced others around him. And they stood and they were faithful and God was faithful.

And then time continues on and continues on and continues on. And what we saw last week,

some of the fruitfulness of the work of God through his servant Daniel is that the madman Nebuchadnezzar

comes to faith. He comes to faith. The story of the world would thought would never be true.

But Nebuchadnezzar places his faith in God. And now we come to chapter 5 and we'll see how God's been

working, how God's been moving, how God's been building. And Daniel, not because Daniel is some

great man of character of what he's determined within himself. But Daniel, the man of God,

resolves himself to be obedient to the God who loves him and is faithful to him.

We'll stand firm in a moment when literally Daniel stands firm when everything around him

begins to collapse. I majored in history in college and

so chapters like this where we find in the text, they fascinate me. Some of you may like more of

the poetry, but when I see the history of the world as told right here in the historical

account of scripture, it fascinates me. And what we find here in Daniel chapter 5 is we see

the historical account of the end of the Babylonian empire. And the Bible is always

a historical account. So when we read through scriptures, these are real people in real places

in real time and historical events are taking place. Now we may see things that your brain is

saying, well, this is the supernatural. Well, how could this be? Because it's the work of God. It

doesn't make it not true. It doesn't make it that someone sat there and created this. This is a true

story. The Bible, while it does not tell all of the events of history, every event that we find

in the Bible is of historical record. In fact, in the history of all the archaeological digs that have

ever taken place, there's never been one moment where they've uncovered something that discredits

the Bible. In fact, the exact opposite. So what you will read in chapter 5, we'll work all the way

through it, is a real event happening in a real time to real people. And God takes it not just from

the history pages of the world, but he plants it right here in his very word for us to be able to read.

So let's read verses 1 through 4, Daniel chapter 5.

King Belshazzar made a great feast for thousands of his lords and drank wine in front of the thousand.

Belshazzar, when he tasted the wine, commanded that the vessels of gold and of silver that Nebuchadnezzar,

his father had taken out of the temple in Jerusalem, be brought that the king and his lords,

notice this, pay attention to these nouns, that his lords, his wives and his concubines

might drink from them.

Then they brought in the golden vessels that had been taken out of the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem,

and the kings and his lords, his wives and his concubines drank from them.

They drank wine and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron and stone.

We want to begin here by looking at the folly of man.

By looking at the folly of man.

I told you from the beginning, what we are walking into here in Daniel chapter 5 is the fall of the great world empire of Babylon.

But we step into a party.

We step into a party where destruction is going to take place.

Now, as we've walked through the verses each week of Daniel, we have now moved from Nebuchadnezzar as ruler to a man known as Belshazzar.

Now, Belshazzar is the grandson of Nebuchadnezzar.

And if you're like, we'll pause, Bo, just there for a second.

It said right here that his father had taken out of the temple.

And yes, it says father, but when we look and understand through other passages, we see that it is his grandson and that there is no word in the original language for grandfather.

So we're seeing some generations of things that have passed, and this is important, all right?

About 70 years have passed from Daniel 1 to Daniel 5.

About 70 years has passed.

And so from the ruling of Nebuchadnezzar to Belshazzar, the empire of Babylon has continued to decline as it expands.

It's declined morally.

It's experienced some decline politically.

And history tells us that there are aspects where it's declining through its military powers as well.

Between Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar, there are four other rulers that span between them.

That the book of Daniel does not give us, but we can see from other passages of Scripture and from history as well.

And these four other rulers have largely and did not all, but most as a result of assassinations.

And all these events from the death of Nebuchadnezzar to the events of Daniel 5 have been about 23 years.

So 70 years from Daniel 1 to Daniel 5, about 23 years, the best that I could work, my limited math capabilities from Daniel 4 to Daniel 5.

If you do a different math and it comes out different, let's just agree that we're a little close, all right?

So we step into this feast.

Step into this feast.

All around Babylon, there are attacks that are happening.

We said that the empire is going to fall.

The empire is falling.

And Belshazzar is the ruler in the capital city of Babylon.

Says, I know what?

Let's create a feast as the Medes and the Persians begin to attack.

He knows that he gets the reports from the battlefield.

They've largely eliminated the Babylonian army.

And they are now seeking to take the city of Babylon.

I don't know if he thought, well, it's all going to end.

I don't think that's what he thought.

So what he decides to do, though, is decides in the boldness of everything that is happening,

that he's going to throw a party.

A party that has been filled with the indulgences of man, both in drink and in sexuality.

I wrote in my notes this week that it was a party that would make Las Vegas blush.

It's what we find in Daniel 5.

He believes he is okay.

He believes that he is fine.

And in spite of everything that around him that says, you're going to die,

he finds this comfort in himself.

He believes that he's protected.

The walls that surrounded Babylon were 87 feet thick.

87 feet thick.

To give you some perspective.

All right.

This is going to be awkward for the camera back there.

But from right here to the camera, if you want to kind of turn and kind of see,

that's halfway.

That's halfway.

So you're talking about some good, soundproof, sound barrier walls.

Double that length, that's the thickness of the walls.

The walls are 350 feet high, have guard towers on top of the 350 feet that range from 100 to 450 feet high.

He's protected.

Belshazzar thinks he's going to be sustained.

When they built the city of Babylon, the Euphrates runs through the city.

So as they built the walls, what they did, instead of putting the city beside the river,

because they know times like this would come,

they built the city and they allowed the waters to run underneath the walls and through the city itself.

So Belshazzar looks around, he says, you know what, I'm protected.

I'm going to be sustained.

My confidence is in what I'm able to do and who I am.

And so he gets drunk.

He engages in sinful sexual activity.

But then he does something else.

If you go all the way back to Daniel chapter 1, I believe it's in verse 2.

That when the king conquered the southern empire of Judah,

he took for himself people.

That's where Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego come from, into captivity.

But then he took artifacts from the temple.

He took artifacts from the temple.

And these artifacts were brought into the pagan temples so that the Babylonians could show,

see, your God could not stop you from our gods.

Your God could not protect you from us.

It was a way to mock.

And so Belshazzar says, well, I'm going to do one better.

And he says, bring me the vessels that were taken from the temple.

And so in all the acts that are happening and taking place,

he uses these vessels for his purposes.

Now here's what's remarkable about this.

Belshazzar in his mocking of the one true holy God

does not do so out of a place of ignorance.

Does not do so out of a place where no one ever told me the story.

He does it out of knowledge.

He would have known.

He would have known the events of Daniel 1 through 4.

He would have known of the experience of his grandfather in Daniel 4.

He would have heard about the testimony.

The Babylonians marked history.

They made sure that anyone in power,

at any place in power,

even when Daniel was captured and brought in,

that he was taught the ways of the Babylonians.

He was taught their religion.

He was taught their history.

Daniel was taught all of these things.

And so this king would have known all of this.

So even though that he knew of the knowledge of God,

his heart was not surrendered to the truth of God.

And I think that's where we maybe find,

as we've compared the culture of then to the culture of today.

It's maybe where we find a lot of,

it is definitely where we find a lot of our world.

And maybe if some of us are being truthful,

it's maybe even where some of us find ourselves today.

That we accept the truth of God's word as intellectual fact,

but continue on in the folly of man

and refuse to surrender to Jesus Christ

is the way, the truth, and the life.

And what we're battling with

is a true condition of the heart

that's lost and far and apart from God.

What we see in Belshazzar who knew,

who placed his hope in his circumstances,

his hope and his confidence in himself,

and delighted in the flesh.

And we don't see ourselves as nasty as he is,

but is that really who we are?

And just like Belshazzar,

apart from the true living God,

we stand,

we stand in the oncoming path

of the wrath of God.

So let's continue on.

This party's happening.

This party's taking place.

Verse 5.

Immediately the fingers of a human hand

appeared

and wrote on the plaster of the wall

of the king's palace

opposite the lampstand.

And the king saw the hand as it wrote.

Then the king's color changed

and his thoughts alarmed him.

His limbs gave way

and his knees knocked together.

The king called loudly

to bring in the enchanters,

the Chaldeans,

and the astrologers.

The king declared

to the wise men of Babylon,

whoever reads this writing

and shows me its interpretation

shall be clothed with purple,

have a chain of gold around his neck,

and shall be the third ruler

in the kingdom.

Then all the king's wise men came in,

but they could not read the writing

or make known to the king

the interpretation.

King Belshazzar was greatly alarmed

and his color changed

and his lords were perplexed.

So we move from the folly of man

to the foolishness of the world.

I think if you were there,

what begins to happen

is a moment

that you will absolutely never forget.

The Bible tells us,

and so we believe,

that fingers appear.

And the fingers begin to write on the wall.

And in that moment,

everything stops

and Belshazzar is shook to his core.

The Bible tells us

that the color of his face changes.

He begins to have a panic attack.

Fear strikes him

and he is about to pass out.

Now I want you to think about this.

Wait.

As the hand of God

is working and moving,

this is a man

who's not troubled

by the army

outside his walls,

but God says,

I'm about to rock you

to your core.

And he wants some help.

You remember the patterns

that we see in Scripture?

And so he calls out

for the same group of men

who what we've seen in Scripture

have never been able to help.

They may be guys

with good intentions,

but they never really have

the good answer.

And he says,

look, if you can help me,

I'll promote you.

I'll clothe you as royalty.

I'll give you wealth.

And they could not

read

what was written

on the wall.

And as God

is getting

His attention,

here is where

Belshazzar

has failed.

World religion

has failed him.

The thought of man

has failed him.

The gods

and goddesses

that they've created,

the faith

of this world

has come up short

once again.

Politics

has failed him.

There's no treaty

to be written,

no battle

to be fought,

no law

that can pass,

no wall

to be built

that can stop

the real

evident

hand of God

in that moment.

And I think

beyond that,

what has

shook him

to his core

is that

his faith

in himself,

it's the

realization

that he can

do nothing

and he knows

it.

Look back

at verse 9.

After he's

called everybody,

the religious

leaders,

the political

readers,

again,

he hoped

for comfort.

But then

King Belshazzar

was greatly

alarmed

and again

his color

changed

and his

Lord

were

perplexed.

Oftentimes,

it's the

folly of man

that we blame

and we

should.

When we

look around

and we see

the depravity,

when we see

the decline,

when we see

the issues

of our world,

it is

sin.

But when we

see the

folly of man,

folks,

who do we

turn to

for the

answer?

Who do we

turn to

for the

solution?

Who do we

turn to

to make

everything

right

when

everything's

spinning out

of control?

Are we

like Belshazzar

and we

turn to

the foolishness

of the

world?

That we

return to

the religion

of the

world?

That we

turn to

the politics

of the

world?

That we

turn to

ourself?

And in

doing so,

even in

our

greatest

achievements,

when dealing

with the

depravity of

the world,

we put a

band-aid on

an open

heart wound.

Only Jesus

can fix

what is

broken

because it's

been broken

since the

garden.

When we

think about

laws,

laws don't

heal the

heart of

man,

only God

does.

Only

Christ does.

When we

look and

see the

evidence of

the depravity

that is in

our town,

in our

county,

in our

state,

in our

country,

in all

over the

world,

we can

draw the

greatest

minds of

this world

together,

put them

in a

room and

allow them

to band-aid

the open

wounds of

society.

And I'm

not saying,

folks,

that we

shouldn't be

active and

try to be

good influence

and try to do

the things that

are right and

push for

things that are

going to bring

peace and

unity.

I'm all for

that.

I'm pro

that.

Let's have the

conversations.

Let's do

those things.

But can we

get to the

point where

we come to

and acknowledge

that the

only thing

that's going

to stop

kids from

dying,

the only

thing that's

going to

stop men

from assaulting

little boys

and little

girls,

the only

thing that's

going to

stop theft,

the only

thing that's

going to

bring countries

who have

been at

war for

thousands of

years to

peace is

Jesus Christ.

How do I

know that?

Because it's

what he did

in me and

it's what

he's done

in you.

It's

Jesus.

That's why

revelation is

not the hope

of a new

political

government.

It's the

hope of

Christ.

So be

involved.

Be a

person of

influence.

Be a

person who

shares.

But it's

got to

come back

to Jesus.

so yet

again another

king calls

forth this

group of

losers who

can't answer

his questions.

I just

picture like

all right

guys here's

what I did

this week.

Number one

when I read

through verses

five through

nine and the

writing on the

wall the

1993 song

John Deere

Green by

Joe Diffie

just kind of

popped in

my head

and I've

been battling

that all

week and

there you

go there's

my confession

but then I

also kind of

picture like the

three stooges in

the moment right

like these are

the people who

are coming in

why do you

think they're

going to get

this right

they can't

get this

right and

they don't

so as God

places us in

moments so

that we can

glorify him

as we walk

through them

because he's

preparing

remember from

that very

beginning

Daniel was

the man for

the time

Daniel was

the man with

the plan

Daniel was

the man of

resolve

so look at

me at verse

the queen

probably

Belshazzar's

mom okay

with words

the queen

because of the

words of the

king and his

lords came into

the banquet

hall and the

queen declared

oh king

live forever

let not your

thoughts alarm

you or your

color change

there is a

man in your

kingdom in

whom is the

spirit of the

holy gods

in the days of

your father

light and

understanding

and wisdom

like the

wisdoms of the

gods were found

in him

and king

Nebuchadnezzar

your father

the king

made him

chief of the

magicians

the enchanters

the chaldeans

and astrologers

because of an

excellent spirit

knowledge and

understanding to

interpret dreams

explain riddles

and solve

problems were

found in

Daniel

whom the

king named

Belteshazzar

now Daniel

now let

Daniel be

called

and he

will show

the

interpretation

then Daniel

was brought

in before the

king and the

king answered

and said to

Daniel

you are that

Daniel

one of the

exiles of

Judah

we'll just pause

really quick

this is how

disconnected

this guy is

Daniel's

basically the

prime minister

and he has

no clue

whom the

king my

father brought

from Judah

I've heard of

you that the

spirit of the

gods is in

you and that

light and

understanding and

excellent wisdom

are found in

you

now the

wise men

and

chanters

have been

brought in

before me

to read

this

writing

to make

known to

its

interpretation

but they

could not

show the

interpretation

of the

matter

but I

have

heard

that you

can give

interpretations

and solve

problems

now if you

can read

the writing

to make

it known

to me

its

interpretation

you shall

be clothed

in purple

and have a

chain of

gold

around your

neck

and shall

be the

third

ruler

in the

kingdom

then

Daniel

answered

and said

before the

king

by the way

do you know

a really

godly

person

that does

not have

tact

that's

Daniel

let your

gifts be

for yourself

and give

your rewards

to another

nevertheless

I will read

the writing

to the king

and make

known to him

the interpretation

oh king

the most high

god gave

Nebuchadnezzar

your father

kingship

and greatness

and glory

and majesty

and because

of the greatness

that he gave

him all

people's

nations

and languages

trembled

in fear

before him

whom

he would

he killed

and whom

he would

he kept

alive

whom

he would

he raised

and whom

he would

he humbled

but when

his heart

was lifted

and his spirit

was hardened

so that

he dealt

proudly

he was brought

down from

his kingly

throne

and his glory

was taken

from him

he was driven

from among

the children

of mankind

and his mind

was made

that like

like that

of a beast

and his dwelling

was with the

wild donkeys

he was fed

grass

like an ox

and his body

was wet

with the dew

of heaven

until he knew

that the most

high God

rules the kingdoms

of mankind

and sets over it

whom he will

and you his son

Belshazzar

have not humbled

your heart

though you knew

all of this

but you have lifted

up yourself

against the Lord

of heaven

and the vessels

of this house

have been brought

in before you

and you

and your lords

your wives

and your concubines

have drunk wine

from them

and you have praised

gods of silver

and gold

of bronze

iron

wood

and stone

which do not see

or hear

or know

but the God

in whose hand

is your breath

and whose are all

your ways

you have not honored

verse 24

then from his presence

the hand was sent

and this writing

was inscribed

and this is the writing

that was inscribed

mene mene

tekel

and parson

this is the interpretation

of the matter

mene

God has numbered

the days of your kingdom

and brought it to an end

tekel you have been

weighed in the balances

and found wanting

peres your kingdom

is divided

and given

to the Medes

and the Persians

then Belshazzar

gave the command

and Daniel was clothed

with purple

a chain of gold

was put around his neck

and proclamation

was made about him

that he should be

the third ruler

of the kingdom

well that's not

going to matter

because verse 30

that very night

Belshazzar

the Chaldean

was killed

and Darius

the Mede

received the kingdom

being about

sixty

two

years

old

the folly

of man

the foolishness

of the world

and the faithfulness

to God

the faithfulness

to God

do you feel

sometimes like

it's hard

to live for God

in the world

that we live in

I think sometimes

we as Christians

we want to play

this poor pitiful

that it's so difficult

and it's so hard

harder than it's ever been

and here's what I would say

to you

I think it's just as hard

as it's ever been

I think every culture

of the world

is filled with the

depravity of man

every culture

of the world

is filled with the

foolishness of the world

and God's called us

to be the people

of faith

regardless if it's

Judah

Babylon

Rome

or America

to stand

and resolve

for him

in spite of the ways

that the culture

wants to pull us

Daniel walks in

God lays the hammer

and Daniel says

let me explain

to you

how this hammer

just hit you

upside the head

what does faithfulness

look like

number one

what does faithfulness

to God look like

number one

people look to

your character

people look to

your character

I think this is

interesting

I read a guy

that pointed this out

about Daniel

the queen

says to her son

listen

there's someone

who can help you

there's someone

who can help you

he helped your

grandfather

he will help

you

she identifies him

in the same way

that Nebuchadnezzar

did before faith

there's very evident

of what's going on

in Daniel

that people

have noticed

and here's what

she says

she says that

in him

is something

in him

is something

and then

from what's in him

something comes

from that

she says like

there's this character

that's evidently

of a God

that she doesn't

understand

that she can't

comprehend

but that there's

something in him

and then from

what's in him

something comes

from him

and what comes

from him

is light

and light

enlightenment

able to understand

the situation

these fools

don't get it

he will

what will come

from that

is understanding

and insight

from that

will be truth

to be revealed

but from that truth

she says

there's wisdom

so he'll tell you

how it's applied

this is what he did

for Nebuchadnezzar

this is

what he

can do

for you

number one

faithfulness

to God

should result

in the character

of who you are

the people

that we're

around

should know

not just

that we're

different

I think

it's kind of

cool now

to be weird

not just

that you're

weird

that you're

different

that you're

weird

that you're

different

because of

who he is

there's a

divine working

that's working

on your heart

that even

lost people

can see it

number two

what does

faithfulness

to God

look like

to be a

person who

influences

without

being

influenced

the party's

happening

there's

thousand

lords

who

are there

there's

wine

it's the

king's

wine

it's the

best

wine

it's

free

flowing

wine

there's

prostitutes

there's

immorality

and

whatever

goes

where's

Daniel

we don't

know

but we

know

he's

not

there

know

he's

not

there

tell me

about

the

remarkable

aspect

that

testimony

that

the

people

who

are

there

they're

let's

call

the

one

guy

who's

not

here

and

let's

get

him

here

that

can

speak

truth

that

can

speak

influence

into

this

situation

you see

Daniel

was a

person

influence

right hand

Nebuchadnezzar

the prime

minister

Babylon

people

say

you can't

engage

politics

you can't

engage

government

you can't

engage

in the

secular

world

and not

hold

and not

compromised

in some

way shape

or form

in your

faith

in your

relationship

with

God

and I

say

bull

you can

and this

is what

we see

the

debauchery

takes place

and Daniel

stands firm

Daniel

stands firm

number

three

what does

faithfulness

to God

look like

a person

who isn't

motivated

by the

rewards

of man

Daniel

says

I'll

tell

you

what's

written

that

wall

but

don't

worry

about

the

reward

because

I think

he's

well what

I'm

about

to say

to you

I don't

think

you're

really

gonna

convictions

go all

the way

back

to Daniel

I can't

be a

man

who's

bought

Daniel

was smart

enough

he could

have

lied

if he

wanted

they

didn't

started

with

this

was

years

old

and

where

find

him

years

old

and

Daniel

does

have

motivation

of the

heart

not

for

the

money

man

but

for

the

glory

God

and

lastly

what

does

faithfulness

God

look

what

does

faithfulness

God

look

person

who

speaks

the

truth

God

says

all right

king

I'm

going to

tell you

what

says

but

before I

tell you

what

says

let

tell

you

who

wrote

let

tell

you

who

wrote

let

tell

you

who

let

tell

you

what

he's

done

king

not

the

holiness

the

gods

but

the

God

most

high

and

gave

your

grandfather

everything

that he

had

and

then

turned

him

into

fool

turned

him

into

fool

and

brought

him

down

brought

him

the

lowest

the

lows

mean

this

man

literally

thought

that

was

animal

ate

grass

fed

the

grass

and

when

came

his

senses

turned

God

you know

who

you know

the

story

but let

tell

you

who

God

then

Daniel

years

old

and

you

say

well

was

old

and

didn't

care

nope

because

when

was

young

said

the

same

thing

Nebuchadnezzar

could

have

taken

his

head

off

that

says

before

tell

you

gonna

bring

three

charges

against

you

look at

verse

and

you

his

son

Belshazzar

have

not

humbled

your

heart

though

you

knew

all

this

you

sinned

against

knowledge

you

knew

you

knew

let me

tell you

you're

that

world

right

now

where

you're

know

the

message

the

gospel

Jesus

Christ

but

that's

later

let me

tell you

the sin

you

stand

you

knew

you

knew

and

know

what

it's

stand

the

sin

knowledge

born

and

raised

man

had

every

VBS

had

every

youth

camp

had

every

mission

trip

had

couple

years

the

youth

choir

till

got

kicked

out

separate

story

for

different

message

and

years

old

knew

all

the

things

about

God

but

the

issue

was

not

what

knew

but

the

issue

was

submission

the

God

who

was

telling

says

Belshazzar

you

knew

you

know

you

know

the

story

nothing

that

Daniel

said

him

was

surprise

but

you

refused

humble

your

heart

you

sinned

against

knowledge

the

second

thing

you

did

you

mocked

God

you

mocked

God

look at

verse

but

you

have

lifted

yourself

against

the

Lord

heaven

and

the

vessels

this

house

have

been

brought

before

you

and

you

and

your

lords

your

wives

and

your

concubines

have

drunk

wine

from

them

mocked

God

church

God

desires

intimate

relationship

with

you

and

what

mind

blowing

about

that

we're

invited

into

relationship

that

never

deserve

because

the

holiness

who

that

order

brought

into

relationship

with

him

can't

come

with

any

our

deeds

not

one

there's

not

one

good

thing

that

you

think

you've

done

allow

you

to step

foot

into

the

presence

God

sent

Christ

die

and

the

great

exchange

here's

what

Christ

did

took

our

sin

and

praise

God

gave

his

holiness

and

the

third

thing

said

you

commit

idolatry

last part

of verse

and you

have

praised

the gods

of silver

and gold

and bronze

iron

wood

and stone

which

he could

have

ended

there

could

have

ended

there

here's

the truth

telling

humor

of the

scriptures

which

do not

see

or hear

or know

that gold

it doesn't

see it

doesn't

hear

it doesn't

know

that silver

it doesn't

see it

doesn't

hear

it doesn't

know

that iron

that wood

that stone

it doesn't

see it

doesn't

hear

it doesn't

know

but the

God

in whose

hand

your

breath

what he

is saying

these

things

are

foolishness

the very

fact

that you

are alive

is because

right now

you're held

in the

very hand

of God

and God

allows

and in

whose

are all

your ways

you

have not

honored

you

send

so he

comes

he says

alright

here it

is buddy

here we

mene

tekel

parson

he says

this

God

has numbered

your days

number

two

you

come up

light

you

come up

light

you

come

short

before

God

and

number

three

in a

great

collapse

and fall

your

kingdom

will be

divided

Belshazzar

gives him

the things

when the

Bible tells

us that

very

night

dies

here's

what history

tells happened

on that

night

the

Medes

and the

Persians

they gathered

outside the

walls of

Babylon

87 feet

thick

450 foot

high towers

they gathered

outside

they gathered

at the

Euphrates

they

dammed

the

Euphrates

and diverted

the water

of the

Euphrates

to the

swamps

that

surrounded

and then

the Medes

and the

Persians

they sent

their army

one

after another

they walked

under

the wall

they came

they killed

the guards

on the

watchtower

they lowered

the gates

they took

the city

and on

that night

he died

on that

night

Belshazzar

died

God said

it's done

and the

empire fell

don't be

Belshazzar

don't be

and the

hard part

of that

the

overwhelmingly

majority

of this

world

of this

nation

of this

state

and of

this

community

finds their

comfort

and the

hope

in the

exact

same

things

that

does

on what

they've

built

on what

they've

provided

on what

they can

accomplish

and they

mock

God

with their

actions

be like

Daniel

be like

Daniel

be like

Daniel

stand

firm

have the

character

that says

you're

different

than those

in this

world

influence

others

without

being

influenced

by the

ways

of the

world

look

for the

reward

of Christ

not

for the

reward

of man

and speak

the truth

of God

to those

who need

to hear

in spite

of what

they will

think

or in

spite

of what

they'll

closing

three

really

quick

things

promise

they're

quick

speak

the

truth

God

last

week

said

tell

just

Nebuchadnezzar

told

tell

and

that

could

understand

one

the

most

terrifying

things

for

you

and

you're

here

today

want

tell

you

three

different

ways

that

you

can

speak

the

truth

God

for

those

that

need

you're

don't

know

how

tell

story

answer

this

one

question

tell

how

you

got

saved

that's

your

story

that's

your

story

tell

your

story

tell

the

truth

God

telling

your

story

number

two

number

two

the

beauty

what

God

gives

invite

let me

tell you

this

not

can

get

pneumonia

and

the

last

person

submerged

dunk

tank

this

not

people

can

walk

away

and

say

Willow Ridge

Church

has

the

best

candy

Willow Ridge

Church

shows

the

best

parties

Willow Ridge

Church

has

the

best

activities

Willow Ridge

Church

has

the

best

games

invite

that

people

can

come

know

and

relationship

with

Jesus

Christ

that's

it's

the

heartbeat

everything

that

and

what

we're

asking

you

partner

with

this

simply

invite

and

then

the

last

thing

last

thing

tell

your

story

invite

people

and

you

look

for

not

just

what

say

but

look

for

the

opportunity

that

God's

providing

you

last

week

shared

the

gospel

walk

through

the

bad

news

the

worst

news

the

good

news

the

best

news

back

the

table

back

here

left

after

the

service

over

with

got

some

cards

right

here

says

the

best

news

let

tell

you

something

didn't

create

that

wish

could

say

that

wish

that

this

was

creation

somebody

else

did

and

they

made

these

cards

and

they've

got

four

little

verses

here

four

little

verses

that

speak

of the

great

power

and

truth

God's

word

and

who

Jesus

Christ

and

what

means

for

someone

come

faith

Jesus

Christ

and

I'm

just

going

tell

you

what

you

can

what

you

can

you

can

take

this

card

and

you

can

put

your

desk

what

you

can

you

can

take

this

card

and

put

your

wallet

you

can

take

this

card

and

put

your

purse

and

those

two

three

four

people

one

person

you

can

sit

down

with

them

after

they

ask

question

what

did

you

today

went

church

talked

about

Jesus

tell

what

you

believe

about

Jesus

here's

what

believe

and

you

can

read

you

can

read

because

let me

tell you

something

I've

never

saved

anyone

and

neither

you

it's

the

power

the

Holy

Spirit

work

and

move

life

someone

call

them

repentance

and

save

them

their

sins

all

we're

called

faithful

would you

pray

with me

God

thank

you

for

the

truth

your

word

and

the

truth

who

you

are

God

gather

together

respond

and

worship

Lord

pray

that

faithful

who

you

are

faithful

what

you

called

faithful

men

and

women

truth

the

midst

culture

that

counter

the

midst

culture

that

consumed

self

the

midst

culture

that

consumed

with

depravity

the

midst

culture

that's

broken

and

may

not

put

our

faith

and

our

hope

into

the

walls

that

have

built

the

empires

that

we've

established

and

the

self

we give

all the

credit

and glory

but may

we put

our

faith

in the

very

God

who holds

us in the

palm of

his hand

we ask

all these

things

in Jesus

and we

pray

Amen

that's

that's it

for this

week's

message

be sure

to check

back

next week

for a

new

episode

and in

the

meantime

you can

visit us

online

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thanks again

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